1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a ring belt for use in collars for pets such as dogs, belts for building or construction workers, or belts for climbers, and in particular, to a ring belt with a structure that is immune from damage because no force is applied to the locking units in the belt.
2. Description of the Background Art
FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate prior art pet collars. FIG. 5 is a view explanatory of the main part of a first prior art, and FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the entire ring belt of a second prior art.
At present a, one-touch controllable and detachable locking system made of synthetic resin is in use in many fields. This system as shown in FIG. 5 is used as a pet collar for as a convenience.
This prior art locking system comprises a male locking unit 50 attached to one of both ends of ringed belt 40 and a female locking unit 60 attached to the other end.
The male locking unit 50 is provided with insert projections 51, 51 and insert guide 52, and the female locking unit 60 is provided with a receptor 61 for receiving the insert projections 51, 51 and insert guide 52. Both locking units 50, 60 may be removably locked together by inserting the insert projections 51, 51 and insert guide 52 into the receptor 61.
The ringed belt 40 has a coupling ring 41 serving as a coupling member for holding a lead fitted in a proper position.
A problem lies in the fact that said locking system is liable to deteriorate according to the frequency or duration of use because it is made of synthetic resin, whereby this locking system may be broken so that the locking units are disengaged from each other.
For the solution of this problem, the ringed belt as shown in FIG. 6 has been invented and disclosed by the Japanese Utility Model Application laid open No. 5-88308.
The ringed belt 45 is adjustable in the diameter by means of length adjusting member 46, having coupling rings 41, 41 fitted in both ends thereof for holding a lead etc.
One-touch controllable locking units 50, 60 of synthetic resin are mounted in the belt in the inside positions a little far from either end of the belt in which the coupling rings 41, 41 are fitted.
The locking units 50, 60 are fully identical to the first prior art in structure.
In using this belt as, for example a dog's collar, the ringed belt is adjusted in length to the neck size of a dog, and is placed on the dog's neck with the locking units 50, 60 remaining out of engagement with each other, the locking units 50, 60. are joined together, and the ringed belt may fall in position around the dog's neck.
A detachable connecting ring attached to the top end of a lead is linked to both coupling rings 41, 41, and the ringed belt is ready for use.
In the second prior art, if the lead is linked to the ringed belt, a force to pull the lead or a force with which the dog gives the lead a pull is transmitted via the coupling rings 41, 41 to the lead and ringed belt, thus resulting in no influence on the locking units 50, 60. This may, therefore, preclude the risk of the locking units being broken into disengagement one from the other.
In the second prior art, however, though there would be no problem in particular when the ringed belt is used with the lead, with no lead attached to the belt, both end portions of the belt to which the coupling rings 41, 41 are fitted are left hanging loose, and turn out to be an obstacle. This is surely a serious problem. Such loose end portions look extremely unseemly and in fact this ringed belt is not befitting to the pet collar, so it does not meet the consumer's needs.
In this connection, in order to solve such a problem, the present invention is intended to provide a ring belt, such as dog's collar, which looks very attractive, wherein no force is applied to the locking units and no obstacle is attached to the outside of the belt.
In addition to the use for pet collar, said ring belt may be used as a safety or life belt for holding lifelines used by building or construction workers or climbers because no force is applied to the locking units in the belt.